Turbine



S. W. NICHOLS.

TURBINE.

- APPLICATION FILED SEPT-19, 1919. 1,405,551 Patented Feb. 7, 1922. 4 suns-sneer I.

Elwin/V sown. M NIH/15 p W f S. W. NICHOLS.

TURBINE.

APPLICATION FILED SEPT. 19, m9.

1,405,551. I tented Feb. 7, 1922.

4 SHhETS-SHEET 2.

Qata -55 S. W. NICHOLS.

TURBINE.

'APPLICATION FILED SEPT. 19, 1919.

Patented Feb. 7, 1922.

4 SHEETS-SHEET 4.

PATENT OFFICE.

SAMUEL WILLIAM NICHOLS, OF EDMONTON, ALBERTA, CANADA.

TURBINE.

Specification of Letters Patent.

Patented Feb. '7, 1922.

Application filed September 19, 1919. Serial No. 324,782.

- To all whom it may concern. I

Be it known that I, SAMUEL WILLIAM NICHOLS, a subject of the King of Great Britain, and resident of the city of Edmonton, in the Province of Alberta, Dominion of Canada, have invented certain new and useful Improvements in Turbines, of which the following is a specification.

This invention relates to improvements in turbines, utilizing av motive fluid such as gasoline or other hydrocarbon, and the ob jects of the invention are to provide means whereby an automatic compression of a mixture of the motive fluid and air is obtained before being delivered to the turbine, to construct the compression means in the form of an internal combustion engine, and to utilize the exhausted products of combustion from the same as a propelling force for the turbine, to permit an adequate governing of the turbine, and to provide means whereby a cooling of the working parts may be obtained.

Further objects are to facilitate'starting the machine by means of compressed air or other suitable motive fluid, to simplify the construction of the several parts and render the same readily accessible for inspection and repair.

With the above and other objects in view the invention consists essentially of the improved construction hereinafter described and set forth in the following specification and accompanying drawings forming part of the same. 7

In therdrawmgs:

Figure l is a sectional plan view ofan embodiment of my invention.

Figure 2 is an end View, partly sectional, of that form of the invention illustrated in Figure 1.

Figure 3 is an enlarged transverse section of the peripheral portion of the turbine showing the gas inlet, combustion chamber, and ignition means.

Figure 4 is an enlarged fragmentary lon-I gitudinal section of the turbine.

Figure 5 is a side elevation of the conduit 7 connecting the cylinders 'and the turbine and showing the ignition valve located therein.

Figure 6 is a transverse section of the conduit shown in Figure 5 and illustrating the lgnition valve.

Figure 7 is a plan and elevation of the peripheral turbine blades.

Like characters of reference refer to like parts in the several figures.

Referring to the drawings, the improved machine comprising a pair of cyhnders l and 2 arranged in alignment and spaced from each other, being connected by a cylinder 3 of smaller diameter.

In thecylinders 1 and 2, pistons 4 and 5 are reciprocably mounted and are connected by a, rod 7 which is provided intermediate of its length with a in the cylinder 3.

The cylinders 1 and 2 are provided in the walls thereof with ports 8 and 9 which connect the inner to the outer ends, and the outer ends of the ports communicate with the valves 12 and 13, which are spring controlled and designed to be automatically actuated.

The outer ends of the cylinders 1 and 2, that is to say, the spaces betweenthe outer covers and the pistons 4 and 5 are designed to receive the explosive mixture which is ignited to reciprocate the said pistons these cylinders receiving the explosive mixtures alternately and being alternately ignited to obtain the desired motion.

Before the explosive mixture reaches the outer end of the cylinders it is compressed in the inner ends of the cylinders 1 and 2 and in the cylinder 3,.the pistons 4 and 5 cooperating with the piston 6 to bring about this compression.

When the explosive fluid delivered to the inner end of the cylinder 1 is compressed between the cylinders 4 and 6 and the pressure exceedsthat of the fluid in the outer ends of the cylinder 1, then the compressed fluid passes through the port 8 opening the valve 12 and flowing into .the outer end of the cylinder 1.

The'operation is exactly the same with A represents respect to the cylinder 2 and need not be repeated, but in this case the motive fluid passes through the port 9 and opens the valve 13, and is delivered into the outer end. of the cylinder 2.

It is necessary that the motive fluid should be delivered to the inner ends of the cylinders land 2 andthe cylinder 3 at the proper moment,- and to thisend. I provide suction valves 14 and 15 communicating with'the cylinders 1 and 2 respectively, and those valve are located within'the intake port or chamber 10 which extends from the carburetor 11.

The explosive mixtures in the outer end of the cylinders 1 and 2 are ignited by the spark plugs 16-and 17 which are connected to a source of electrical supply as will be explained hereinafter.

The reciprocationof the pistons 4 and 5 is initially brought about through the starting mechanisms 18 and 19, consisting of cylinders within which plungers 20 and 21 operate, and these cylinders are provided with ports 22 and 23 in the sides thereof, and the plungers 20 and 21 are connected through suitable links with starting valves 24 and 25 which-are connected through conduits to the discharge opening 58 in the air pump 55.

The valves 24 and 25 communicate with the air ports 26 and 27 in the cylinders 1 and 2 respectively, and check valves 38 and 39 are located intermediate of the ports 26 and 27 and the valves 24 and 25, and the cylinders of the starting mechanism. communicate through the ports 28 and 29 with the said cylinders 1 and 2.

Intermediate of the ports 28 and 29 and the cylinders of the starting mechanism 18 and 19 are stop valves 30 and 31 which control the operation of the starting mecha-. nisms. i

The cylinders 1 and 2 are further connected through the conduits or gas ports 32 and 33 with the turbine B, and in the conduits 32 and 33 ignition valves 34 are pivotally mounted. These valves are provided with stems 35 extending through the periphery of the conduits and adapted to coact with the wires 36 and 37 which are in the form of ignitor springs, the said wires or ignitor springs being connected to opposie spark plugs 17 and 16.

y In the cylinder 3 gas ports 40 and 41 are provided within which check valves 42 and 43 operate, and the ports and the check valves communicate with a distribution chamber or connection 44 which is connected by suitable conduits with. the intake orificc 66 of the valve 67 controlling the delivery of fuel to the combustion chamber 59 of the turbine B.

The operation of the compression mechanism, namely the pistons 4 and 5 within the cylinders 1 and 2 is controlled by a governor 45 which is connected through the lever 45 with the carburetor 11, and this governor is mounted on the governor shaft 46 WhlCh also forms the water circulating pump shaft for the pump 46.

The shaft 46 is driven from the shaft 49.

bearings, and the rotor 50 mounted on the shaft 49 is provided with peripheral blades 51, while on the side of the rotor rotating turbine blades 52 are carried by the eas- The blades 51 are irregular hexagonal in shape and have pins or bosses 69 on the back thereof. The outside circumference of the rotor is machined to receive the said bosses which hold the blades loosely to the rotor. The blades beingof this design will adjust themselves to any wear. The spring 71 is used to hold the blade inposition when running idle or beyond the gas pressure.

The motor blades v52 are fastened and carried by the rotor by means of caulking and the stationary blades 53 are likewise fastened into the rotor casing 48.

The propelling fluid from the peripheral blades of the rotor passes through the gas ports 54 to the turbine blades, and so gives thedesired torque to the shaft 49 during the operation of the machine. 7

The shaft 49 is designed to operate an air pump 55 through the intermeshlng gears 57 and this air pump is of a rotary or plunger type having discharge conduits '58 which are designed to be connected to the valves 24 and 25 respectively.

The gear 57 of the pump shaft is normally loose, and is controlled by means of a clutch mechanism 56, whereby the pump may be thrown into or out of operation as is found necessary or desirable.

On the periphery of the casing 48 of the rotor a combustion chamber 59 is provided, and this chamber communicates with the rotor chamber through a balance valve 64 consisting of a stem having a piston 60 thereon slidably operating in this cylinder 60, and

the stem of the piston 60 or valve is embraced by a spiral spring 61, the outer end of which coacts with a threaded cap 62 which is threaded into the cylinder 60. The cap 62 is provided with air vents 63 so as to prevent cushioning of the air within the cylinder 60".

The stem of the valve 64 is slidably mounted in the cap 62, and on the valve 64 being opened it will remain so for a s'ufliciently long time to permit of the motive fluid rotor, to transmit arotary' motion to the shaft 49.

In the gas intake 66 in the combustion chamber 59 a valve 67 actuates, and a spark plug is provided designed to be connected to a suitable source of electrical supply, so that an ignition ofthe explosive mixture in the chamber 59 can be brought about. The chamber 59 communicates through the port 68 with the rotor of the turbine, and this port is normally closed by the valve 64.

, In Figure 71 have shown the formation of the peripheral blades of the rotor, the

end view being denoted by the numeral 69 while the back view is denoted by the numeral 70, and those vanes are held in position b the springs 71 illustrated in Figure 4. A ter the motive fluid has expended its energy on the rotor it is exhausted through the ports 72 and 73 provided in the casing 48.

' When this machine is in use the wires from a suitable suppl for electrical energy are connected to t e insulated ignitor springs 36 and 37 which are in turn connect-.

ed to the spark plugs17 and 16,-and an electric circuit is obtained by grounding one of the wires from the spark plugs 16 and 17, and grounding one end from the source of electrical supply. Wiring of this nature is well known in the art and it is thought unnecessary to illustrate or describe the same. I The air pump 55 is now started by primarily driving it from an electric motor or other suitable device, as of course the ma-.

chine is in a state of rest, and some external agency is thus required to actuate the pump 55.

The air pump 55 is geared to the shaft 49 through the clutch 56 and intermeshing gears 57 can be used in the case of emergency with a suitable carburetor connected to the pump 55 for supplying a gas mixture to the combustion chamber 59 independent of the cylinder 3.

The valves 30 and 31, and 24 and 25 are opened and air enters the cylinders 1 and 2 from the pump 55 moving the piston 4' towards the cylinder 2 and at the same time the air in the cylinder 2 passes through the port 29 and pushes back the plunger 21 thereby closing the valve 25, the air escaping through the port 23 in the plunger cylinder.

It will thus be seen that the air pressure is not all exerted on the piston 4 in the cylinder 1,,and as the piston 5 advances under the movement of the piston 4, it

causes a partial vacuum in the cylinder 2,

and explosive fluid passes through the conduit 10 from the carburetor 11 into the cylinder 2. The piston 4 in the same stroke compresses a charge between itsinner face and the piston 6 on the cylinder 3, and, when the piston 4 has uncovered the port 28, the air then pushes back the plunger 20 closing. the valve 24 and escaping through the port 22.

As the plunger 20 is pushed back it comes in contact with the ignitor spring 36 and ignites the charge in-the opposite cylinder 2, and at the same time the pressure is lowered in the cylinder 1 until it is lower than the pressure in the cylinder 3, so that'a charge is admitted through the ports 8 and 39 hold the pressure in the cylinders 1 and v 2 when the first said valves are open.

At the same time a compression of a charge takes place in the cylinder 3 between the piston 5 and the piston 6. The piston 4 causes the charge to be drawn into the opposite end of the cylinder 3, and compresses the charge in the cylinder 1 in which the piston 5 uncoversthe port 29, and the air pushes the plunger 21 back until it comes in contact with the ignitor 27 and causes the charge in the opposite cylinder to be ignited. The plungers 20 and 21 are ofample area to press back the spring centering boss and also to close the valves 24 and 25 when the ports 28 and 29 are uncovered to allow air to enter the cylinders 18 and 19, and when the ports are again covered the air pressure relaxes, and the spring pushes the plunger back into position and again opens the valve.

The valve 25 is closed and the pressure is lowered in the cylinder 2 until it is lower than in the cylinder 3, so that a charge is admitted through the port 9 and valve 13 into the cylinder 2. The repetition of the.

and 27 igniting a charge ingthe opposite cylinders.-

When this reciprocation of the pistons 4 and 5 has been started and is-in operation the pump 55 is stopped until a starting of the machine is again necessary, and the gas passing through the ports 32 and 33 enters the rotor casing 48, and impinging on the blades 51 of the said rotor transmits rotary motion thereto, the gas then passing through the port 54 to impinge on the first row of turbine blades 53, whereupon the gases are deflected to impinge on the rotating blades,

then they are again deflected on the station- 43 are operated to hold the pressure when the piston starts its backward stroke, and until the ports are again covered. 1

The explosive mixture from the cylinder 3 is delivered through the ports and 41 to the gas connection 44, and the explosive mixture passes from the connection 44 through suitable conduits to the gas intake 66 of the valve 67, and when the pressure in 1 the combustion chamber 59 is equal to the pressure in the cylinder 60 the valve 67 closes and the charge is ignited in the combustion chamber 59 by means of the spark plug-65. I

When the explosion occurs in the combustion chamber 59 the pressure rises and exceeds the pressure on the outer face of the piston 60, and the valve 64 is unseated and the gas passes through the port 68 and impinges on the peripheral blades 51 of the rotor.

The gases then pass from the peripheral blades through the port 54 and then through the turbine blades as before mentioned.

- The valve 64 is smaller in area than the piston 60 whereby tension on the spring 61 has to be regulated according to this difference of area to effect the opening and closing of the said valve.

The cycle of operations above described is repeated in the machine, and thus the turbine is actuated by the exhaust from the reciprocating pistons in the cylinders 1 and 2 and at the same time a live charge is delivered from the combustion chamber to the turbine, and the power developed by the combustion of the said charge is utilized to adequately drive the rotor.

The compression of the combusible charges takes place externally of the rotor and a maximum efficiency is thus obtained from the machine.

As many changes could be made in the above construction, and many apparently widely different embodiments of my invention, within the scope of the claims, con structed without departing from the spirit or scope thereof, it is intended that all matter contained in theaccompanying specification and drawings shall be interpreted as illustrative and not in a limiting sense.

What I claim as my invention is:

1. In a turbine using a combustible fluid, cylinders communicating with the turbine, pistons reciprocating in the cylinders, means for delivering a compressed charge of-explosive fluid from the cylinders to the turbine, and means for delivering the exhausted products of combustion to the turbine from the said cylinders.

2. In a turbine utilizing an explosive fluid, a pair of cylinders communicating with the turbine, a smaller cylinder intermediate of the pair of said cylinders, pistons operating in the said cylinders, means for connecting the smallercylinder to the turbine to deliver a charge of explosive fluid to the said turbine, and means for delivering the exhausted products of combustion from the first said cylinders to the turbine.

3. In a turbine utilizing an explosive fluid, a pair of cylinders arranged in alignment, a smaller cylinder arranged in alignment with said cylinders, pistons operating in the said cylinders, means for delivering a compressed charge of combustible fluid to the said turbine from the second said cylinder.

4. In a turbine utilizing an explosive fluid, a pluralityof cylinders arranged in alignment and of unequal diameter, pistons operating in the said cylinders, means whereby a compressed charge of explosive fluid is delivered from one of the cylinders to the turbine, means'whereby the exhausted gases from the other cylinders are delivered to the turbine, and governor means controlling the actuation of the pistons.

In a turbine utilizing a combustible fluid, a rotor having peripheral and lateral blades, a plurality of cylinders arranged in alignment, one of the cylinders being designed to deliver a compressed explosive charge to the turbine, the other '0 linders being designed to deliver exhauste gases to the said turbine, a pneumatic starting mechanism and governor means controlling the actuation of the pistons in thecylinders. 6. In a turbine utilizing a combustible fluid, a rotor having peripheral and lateral blades, a combustion chamber on the side of the rotor, a balanced .valve communicating with the combustion chamber and the rotor,

a plurality of cylinders arranged in align-- ment and of different diameters, pistons slidabl operating in the cylinders, means for de ivering a compressed charge of motive fluid from one of the cylinders to the combustion chamber, means for delivering the exhausted products of combustion from 130 the other cylinders in the rotor, means for igniting the combustible fluid in the combustible chamber, and governor means controlling the actuation of the pistons.

7. Ina turbine, a rotor, an air pump driven by the rotor, a governor operated by the rotor, a plurality of cylinders arranged in alignment and of unequal diameter, a carburetor connected to the governor, ports communicating from some of the cylinders to the air pump, valves in the said ports controlled by resilient starting means, ports communicating from the other cylinders with the turbine,and means for delivering a compressed charge of motive fluid from the 15 SAMUEL WILLIA Witnesses HERBERT CoWAN, ARTHUR SIMPSON.

M NICHOLS. 

